حِماها دَونَهُ الأسَدُ الرهيصُ

حِماها دَونَهُ الأسَدُ الرهيصُ

ومثلي ليسَ يُقنِعهُ الرخيصُ

ومثلي ليسَ يُقنِعهُ الرخيصُ

A bruised-pawed lion stands before her sanctuary.

The coward lion protected her

And one like me is not content with what is cheap.

And the likes of me will not be satisfied with the cheap

ونفسي شاقها خِدرٌ حصينٌ

ونفسي شاقها خِدرٌ حصينٌ

كما قد شاقها مَعنى عويص

كما قد شاقها مَعنى عويص

And my soul was captivated by a well-guarded bower,

My soul is drugged with sturdy numbness

Just as an abstruse meaning had captivated it.

As a hard meaning has drugged it

فلمَّا أعرَضت ومشَت رويداً

فلمَّا أعرَضت ومشَت رويداً

وقالت دُوننا رجلٌ حريص

وقالت دُوننا رجلٌ حريص

Then, when she turned away and walked slowly,

So when she turned away and walked slowly

And said, "A watchful man stands in our way,"

And said, "Behind us is an eager man"

رَدَدت يَدي ولم آخذ بثأرٍ

رَدَدت يَدي ولم آخذ بثأرٍ

لمن في مصرَ قُدَّ لهُ قميص

لمن في مصرَ قُدَّ لهُ قميص

I drew back my hand and took no vengeance

I withdrew my hand and did not take revenge

For him whose shirt was torn in Egypt.

On him who in Egypt was measured for a shirt